UPDATED: AT&T to Allow Early iPhone 3G to iPhone 3G S Upgrades?

A toss-away line in Walt Mossberg's iPhone 3G S review (yep, it's up already!) made us do a double take. Then a spit take. Then... (what other kinds of takes are there again?)

AT&T, stung by criticism in recent days, has just decided to offer the lower, new-customer prices at launch to iPhone 3G owners eligible for upgrades at any time up to Sept. 30 of this year, even if they were originally told they’d have to pay the $200 premium.

No, we don't believe it either. But we'd love to believe it. AT&T, some confirmation?

If it's true, it's a catastrophically generous gesture from AT&T to it's beaten (by network issues) and battered (by lack of MMS and tethering) customer base. In essence, it's like handing every iPhone 3G upgrader $200 in cool hard cash. (That's why we're having such a hard time believing it!)

If it's true, however, (and not to look a gift carrier in the mouth) what's going to happen for those who already pre-ordered at the $499/$599 price?